Troy enjoying life at Blues in difficult times

TROY Deeney has opened up on the trials and tribulations of representing Blues during his boyhood club’s difficult years.

Blues have been plagued by off-field issues under the ownership of Birmingham Sports Holdings Ltd (BSHL) and Deeney admits it has affected the players and behind-the-scenes staff.

Deeney pitched up at Blues two years ago after leaving Watford. He is coming to the end of his contract, but talks are under way over a new one.

Lifting the lid on his move to St Andrew’s and the club’s welldocumented problems, he said: “It wasn’t really planned. I parted ways with Watford very quickly and the options were Celtic, Middlesbrough, abroad or Birmingham.

“On that list Birmingham was the least paying, least attractive for what it was. But in my way I was like, ‘I can get this out, I can change it, it just needs this, it just needs that’.

“I walked through the door and thought, ‘this needs a bit more than me and a few other things’. It’s been a really wonderful experience. It’s been tough but it’s kept me motivated at this point in my career. It’s hard. We all know the things that are going on off the field, and it does have an impact in and around the place, but there are good people there now trying to change things.”

Deeney revealed he believes Blues’ teen Jobe Bellingham is ‘going to be unbelievably talented’.

Bellingham, who only turned 17 last September, has made 14 appearances in the Championship this term. Head coach John Eustace has handed him a couple of starts in all competitions during his first full senior campaign.

“There’s a cluster of six or seven under the age of 22, Jobe being the youngest – he has just turned 17,” he said. “He’s put on ten kilos this year, he’s going to be an absolute monster, just like his brother is. He is going to be unbelievably talented, you can’t deny that, but it is just going to take him a year or two longer than his brother. He’s in that shadow, isn’t he? Wonderful kid, wonderful family.”